A reader submitted the following, and I'm VERY eager to give them a listen. If you click the links they'll take you to a download page -- I couldn't figure out how to embed the slick download feature they have on their page, so I suppose if you're interested you can either make due or go there yourself.

The Franciscan rosary, or as it is properly called, The Franciscan Crown, dates to the early part of the 15th century. At that time a young man who found spiritual joy in weaving a crown of wild flowers for a beautiful statue of Mary decided to enter the Franciscan Order. After entering the community, however, he was saddened when he no longer found the time to gather flowers for his personal devotion. One evening, while feeling tempted to abandon his vocation, he received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mother encouraged the young novice to persevere by reminding him of the joyfulness of the Franciscan spirit. She also instructed him to meditate daily on seven joyful events from her own life as a new form of the rosary. Instead of a crown of flowers, the novice would now weave a crown of prayers. Before long, many other Franciscans began to pray the Crown and soon it spread to the entire Order, becoming officially established in 1422.

Send e-mail questions and comments to catholicunderthehood@gmail.com or leave voicemail at 1 740 936 4354. To listen, just click on the link below:

It consists of a Lectio Divina or "Divine Reading" of next Sunday's Gospel, 5th Sunday of Easter, AD 2007 - Year "C." We have discussed Lectio Divina in a previous post, aptly named What is Lectio Divina? and also discussed the traditional senses of Scripture in The four senses of Scripture. Now, we put it all together in this podcast!

I borrowed the brief explanations on Lectio DivinaThe Fish Eaters' site, a "traditionalist" Catholic site with some contents I find erroneous, incomplete, or tendencious, but whose presentation on Lectio Divina was otherwise pretty good. I took the reading from the 2007 Workbook for Lectors and Gospel Readers, but I'll probably switch to another Catholic version in future podcasts because the readings are based on the NAB and I am not sure about the limitations the powers-that-be may put on reading this version aloud on-line.

This podcast is approximately 21 minutes long. I intend to keep future podcasts at about 10 minutes. This one lasted that long because I had to explain the different "steps" of Lectio Divina as I went through it. I apologize for all technical blunders beforehand. I am still exploring my sound suite and I haven't discovered all the tricks, shortcuts, and techniques. Some transitions are less than perfect, so adjust your volume accordingly.

My accent is also less than perfect, and so is my English pronunciation. Sure, I've been speaking our English language for over 20 years. The learning process never ends! If my accent bothers you, think some obscure Spanish-speaking aspiring contemplative, who dragged himself from his cell in order to share a little bit of what goes on in his heart with you. which I share with you in this podcast from

Lectio Divina for the 5th Sunday of Easter, AD 2007

You may also dowload the entire MP3 file to play in your computer or in your MP3 player or I-Pod, from here.

Lectio Divina of Psalm 36

Or, you may right-click here and save the target to disk, so that you can listen to it in your computer using your favorite MP3 software, or transfer it to your I-Pod or MP3 Player to listen to it while on the move.

Lectio Divina of the First Reading of Pentecost Sunday Mass, AD 2007

Office of Readings for the Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot

You may now download a meditative reading of the second reading of today's Office of Readings, from a sermon by St. Bernard, from here and then listen to it on your computer or transfer it to your favorite MP3 player device.

Lectio Divina of Psalm 77

You may right click here and download it to your computer to listen to it or to transfer it to your MP3 playing device.

Lectio Divina of Psalm 84

You may right click here and download it to your computer to listen to it or to transfer it to your MP3 playing device.

Lectio Divina of Psalm 10

You may listen to it by saving the MP3 file from the target here to your computer to transfer to your MP3 player of your choice.

The logical working-out and disputation of all the implications of an idea can be a long, drawn out process. It can also be difficult to explain to people who haven't followed all the twists and turns of the argument. In this book-length essay, Newman argues that Christian doctrinal "development" is not so much produced by change or innovation, as by unfolding what was already implicit in revelation.

John Henry Newman was an Anglican cleric and one of the chief members of the Oxford Movement. Later, he converted to Catholicism; writing this book was part of the intellectual process which led to this. Newman was eventually allowed to become a Catholic priest (still unusual at the time for Anglican converts); he did so well that he died a Cardinal. His explanations and defenses of Catholic doctrine are still famous. He is currently being considered for beatification.

The following are some Arabic songs from our separated brothers to the east, the Coptic Orthodox. While I don't typically post material from other churches, I found the following especially moving -- I hope you do as well.

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"Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ."
Rom 10:17(DRV)